Baby boomers less healthy than parents, study finds

For the first time in history, the next generation reaching retirement - the baby boomers - may actually be less healthy than their parents were at the same age, according to new study results.

While baby boomers tend not to smoke as much and describe themselves as healthy and vibrant, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that they are more likely to report difficulty climbing stairs, getting up from a chair and doing other routine activities. In addition, the study, which was reported in the Washington Post, shows that more boomers have chronic problems that include diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Baby boomers tend to be less physically active than their parents and grandparents. Increasingly sedentary lifestyles and work routines are largely to blame, according to the report.